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BY 


REV.  WARD  PLATT,  D.D. 


OPEN  DOOR  COMMISSION 
MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 
METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 
150  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York 


SOME  MISSIONARY  METHODS 
OF  A  PRESIDING  ELDER’S 
DISTRICT 


HE  Missionary  Campaigns  to  be 
described  are  those  of  Buffalo  Dis¬ 
trict,  Genesee  Conference,  for  the 
years  1 903  and  1 904.  The 
District  is  a  difficult  field  in  which 
to  secure  a  liberal  support  for  missions.  It 
confronts  in  Buffalo  a  dense  foreign  popula¬ 
tion.  Methodism  there  is  not  financially 
strong;  most  of  the  churches  are  weak  and 
burdened.  There  are  no  large  givers.  The 
majority  of  out-of-town  churches  are  in  a  ter¬ 
ritory  generally  unproductive  for  Methodism, 
and  are  marked  with  a  spirit  of  conservatism 
and  apathy  toward  world  evangelism.  In  out¬ 
lining  the  work  done  we  do  not  distinguish 
between  the  methods  of  the  two  years,  but 
treat  both  as  one. 

The  District  mentioned  is  not  presented  as 
the  one  leading  the  Conference  in  missionary 
support,  for  it  is  outdistanced  in  proportionate 
giving  by  Rochester  District.  We  report 
progress  only,  and  if  any  value  attaches  to  this 
presentation  it  may  be  to  indicate  some  possi¬ 
bilities  in  the  culture  of  stubborn  soil. 


SOME  MISSIONARY  METHODS 


The  campaign  divides  naturally  into  three 
parts:  conventions,  a  pulpit  exchange,  litera¬ 
ture.  The  culmination  was  Easter  Sunday,1 
when  the  offerings  were  received.  The  mis¬ 
sionary  revival  was  carried  on  during  the 
month  preceding,  with  the  exception  of  the 
last  week,  which  was  reserved,  where  churches 
so  elected,  for  services  appropriate  to  Holy 
Week. 

The  Convention  work  naturally  divided 
into  two  sections,  city  and  out-of-town,  with 
methods  suitable  to  the  radically  different  con¬ 
ditions.  Most  of  the  time  was  spent  in  the 
out-of-town  campaign.  The  keynote  was 
God’s  trumpet  call  to  the  church  of  this  gener¬ 
ation  to  arise  and  take  the  world  for  Christ. 
The  plan,  with  minor  exceptions,  was  to  reach 
every  church  on  the  District.  There  were, 
save  a  few  Epworth  League  gatherings,  no 
group  meetings.  The  Convention  went  to  the 
people,  even  to  the  out  appointments  of  cir¬ 
cuits.  As  many  as  29  conventions  were  held 
out  of  town  and  23  meetings  in  the  city,  that 
is,  52  conventions  and  gatherings  in  22  days, 
with  a  total  of  more  than  200  addresses. 
Every  pastor  of  the  District  and  a  number  of 
laymen  were  employed  as  speakers,  together 
with  a  contribution  of  able  speakers  by  the 
Missionary  Society.  Dr.  F.  D.  Gamewell 
gave  a  number  of  thrilling  addresses.  Mis- 


1  This  day  may  not  be  best  for  a  Spring  Conference,  when  the 
Sunday  nearest  Thanksgiving  or  another  date  might  be  preferable. 
One  date,  however,  for  the  whole  District  seems  essential. 


PREPARATION 


sionary  collections  were  not  taken  at  the  con¬ 
ventions  or  meetings. 

Preparation. — To  insure  the  carrying  out 
of  so  large  a  programme  preparations  began 
weeks  in  advance.  Separate  conferences  of 
city  and  out-of-town  pastors  were  held  in 
which  details  were  discussed  at  length  and 
approved;  later  the  presiding  elder  by  steno¬ 
graphic  help  placed  before  each  pastor  by  cor¬ 
respondence  the  complete  plan,  and  kept  in 
touch  with  all  points  of  the  District,  that  no 
failure  might  occur  at  any  meeting.  Each 
speaker  was  even  notified  of  the  hour  he  must 
take  his  train  to  not  fail  of  connection. 

The  advertising  was  generous,  about  30,- 
000  pieces  being  provided.  One  year  it  was 
in  the  form  of  a  general  circular  applicable  to 
all  the  District,  giving  the  dates  and  speakers 
for  all  the  meetings.  This  was  to  impress  the 
smallest  church  with  the  largeness  of  the  move¬ 
ment  of  which  it  was  a  part.  This  was  all 
looked  after  from  the  central  office  of  the  pre¬ 
siding  elder.  Nothing  was  left  to  a  pastor  but 
to  carry  out  details  as  directed. 

The  sum  paid  by  each  charge  toward  the 
campaign  fund  covered  all  their  local  expenses, 
including  advertising.  The  result  of  a  central 
management  was  that  all  went  smoothly  and 
effectively. 

The  pulpit  exchange,  coming  not  later  than 
the  Sunday  preceding  Palm  Sunday,  was 
found  most  satisfactory  when  arranged  in 


SOME  MISSIONARY  METHODS 


pairs.  This,  in  case  of  sickness,  insured  but 
the  breaking  of  a  single  link  in  the  plan. 

Each  pastor  was  expected  to  prepare  his 
greatest  missionary  address.  He  was  not  to 
divide  his  energies  on  more  than  one.  The 
committee  expected  him  to  deliver  this,  in  most 
instances,  four  times:  twice  at  conventions, 
once  in  the  pulpit  exchange,  and,  as  a  climax, 
to  his  own  people  on  Palm  Sunday. 

Three  pastors  of  the  District  made  prepara¬ 
tions  on  Freedmen’s  Aid  and  Southern  Educa¬ 
tion  work  and  two  others  on  Church  Exten¬ 
sion  and  gave  several  telling  addresses.  The 
out-of-town  conventions  with  few  exceptions 
continued  through  an  afternoon  and  evening. 
The  presiding  elder  was  at  all  these  gatherings 
save  one.  The  corps  of  speakers  visiting  a 
church  in  the  afternoon  were  on  the  pro¬ 
gramme  for  another  church  in  the  evening,  as 
two  conventions  were  held  daily  at  places 
contiguous. 

A  fine  educational  exhibit  was  prepared 
in  duplicate  by  the  Missionary  Society  in  New 
York,  illustrating,  by  leaflets,  booklets,  and 
charts,  the  League  and  Sunday  school  forward 
movements,  latest  missionary  literature,  and  the 
“Station  Plan.’’  This  covered  about  fifty 
running  feet  and  was  placed  across  the  front 
of  the  church.  Charts  and  maps  adorned  the 
walls.  A  competent  man,  a  pastor,  devoted 
himself  continuously  to  the  work  of  placing 
and  explaining  each  exhibit.  Local  talent, 
save  to  assist  in  this,  was  impracticable. 


PREPARATION 


A  young  lady  thoroughly  conversant  with 
League  work  traveled  over  the  District,  and, 
in  connection  with  the  conventions,  met  by 
appointment  the  several  cabinets,  inquired  into 
their  work,  corrected  errors,  and  gave  valuable 
instruction  concerning  the  possibilities  of  the 
several  departments  and  forward  movements. 
The  new  Sunday  school  missionary  pro¬ 
grammes  were  explained  in  an  illustrative  ad- 
’  dress  by  Miss  Hixson,  of  the  Missionary  So¬ 
ciety.  In  short,  the  campaign  was  educational. 
It  agitated  incidentally  for  one  dollar  for  mis¬ 
sions  per  member  and  probationer,  but  chiefly 
to  awaken  every  department  of  the  church  into 
intelligent,  effective  missionary  activity.  Con¬ 
siderable  free  literature  was  distributed.  Five 
or  six  addresses  were  delivered  at  each  con¬ 
vention.  The  attendance  was  good,  in  many 
instances  large.  As  a  rule,  the  people  who 
mold  the  sentiment  of  the  local  church  were 
present.  The  children  were  much  in  evidence 
and  quietly  attentive. 

In  one  campaign  separate  and  convenient 
hours  of  the  programme  were  devoted  to  the 
Sunday  school  children,  also  to  the  young  peo¬ 
ple.  Programmes  for  the  larger,  busier  towns 
were  so  modified  as  to  command  attention  and 
impress  the  church. 

The  city  campaign  was  covered  in  three 
nights — ten  simultaneous  meetings  on  the  first 
night,  twelve  on  the  second,  and  a  great  mass 
meeting  on  the  third.  These  were  a  marked 
success.  A  brilliant  array  of  out-of-town 


SOME  MISSIONARY  METHODS 


speakers,  former  pastors,  and  home  talent  gave 
to  each  church  two  or  three  addresses.  The 
smaller  churches  were  manned  by  able  men. 
These  twenty-two  meetings  in  two  nights  were 
held  without  a  hitch  in  a  single  programme; 
most  of  the  speakers  spoke  in  two  churches 
each  night.  The  presiding  elder  sat  at  his 
’phone  to  guard  emergencies. 

The  mass  meeting  packed  the  great  audi¬ 
torium  of  Delaware  Avenue  Church  with  the 
bone  and  sinew  of  our  city  Methodism.  For 
size  and  quality  it  was  one  of  the  most  repre¬ 
sentative  Methodist  audiences  ever  gathered  in 
Buffalo.  These  meetings  left  a  profound  im¬ 
pression  and  reached  thousands  of  people. 

The  expenses  of  the  campaign  were  travel¬ 
ing  expenses,  correspondence,  postage,  adver¬ 
tising,  and  the  exhibit.  Each  pastor,  however, 
contributed  his  traveling  expenses  to  one  day’s 
convention  trip,  also  to  the  pulpit  exchange. 
The  presiding  elder’s  traveling  expenses  were 
paid  by  himself,  as  he  was  able  to  hold  a  series 
of  Quarterly  Conferences.  The  expenditures 
were  covered  by  an  apportionment  to  the 
several  churches  ranging  from  five  to  ten  dollars 
in  the  out-of-town  churches  and  from  two  to 
three  times  those  amounts  in  some  of  the  city 
churches.  This  covered  all  expenses  except 
the  Easter  collection  envelope. 

Each  pastor  was  privileged  to  take  offerings 
at  his  convention  or  meetings  to  apply  on  ex¬ 
penses  or  to  raise  the  amount  as  he  might  think 


LITERATURE 


best.  One  method  was  the  use  of  season 
tickets  of  admission  at  ten  cents  each,  good 
for  all  the  services  on  the  District.  A  round 
perforated  children’s  ticket  in  bright  red  ad¬ 
mitted  all  children  fifteen  years  of  age  and 
under  free.  These  were  in  great  demand, 
and,  being  worn  at  school,  days  in  advance  of 
the  conventions,  were  effective  advertising. 

Literature. — Correspondence  was  had  with 
more  than  forty  missionary  boards  to  secure 
their  best  leaflets  on  systematic  giving  and  the 
spirit  of  missions.  These  were  carefully  culled 
and  a  choice  assortment  sent  each  pastor  to  aid 
in  his  missionary  preparation ;  also  another 
choice  set  to  each  Sunday  school  to  enrich  the 
monthly  programme  and  as  samples  from 
which  purchases  might  be  made  for  the  chil¬ 
dren.  Personal  letters  accompanied  these 
packages.  Envelopes  containing  the  latest 
Epworth  League  literature  went  by  mail  to 
League  officers.  About  six  thousand  sets  of 
the  series  of  five  leaflets  issued  by  the  Mis¬ 
sionary  Society  were  used,  one  each  Sabbath. 

In  addition  to  this  an  Easter  envelope  is 
annually  provided  as  an  aid  to  the  collection. 
It  contains  an  Easter  pastoral  greeting  signed, 
"Your  Pastor,"  also  two  leaflets,  the  one  this 
year  a  forceful  setting  forth  of  the  claims  of 
Christian  stewardship  by  a  prominent  clergy¬ 
man,  the  other  a  story  intended  to  bring  home 
the  same  truth.  In  addition  to  these  is  a  blank 
pledge  ruled  for  each  member  of  the  family,  a 
sample  of  which  is  here  given: 


Treasures  in  heaven ,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt '. 


“  Thou  shalt  open  thine  hand  wide  unto  thy  brother .” 


JTSLEASE  to  fill  in  this  pledge  and  place  it  on  the 
^  collection  plate  EASTER  MORNING.  If 
detained,  kindly  send  by  another  or  mail  to  pastor. 
This  will  lighten  the  labor  of  the  committee  in  gath¬ 
ering  contributions.  If  a  cash  subscription,  instead 
of  this  form  place  money  in  an  envelope  bearing  name 
and  address. 


/  will  give  for  1905  toward  the 

Missionary  Collection 


of  the  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 
the  sum  opposite  my  name  below. 


NAME 

Dols. 

Cts. 

ADDRESS 


If  a  family,  please  to  have  each  member  sign  on  one  of  the 
above  lines.  If  the  children  can  but  print,  let  their  autographs 
appear.  Write  in  the  baby’s  name.  Do  not  withhold  a  gift  nec¬ 
essarily  small ;  few  will  need  to  go  below  one  dollar  each. 

Many  will  subscribe  a  penny  a  day  ($3.65)  each,  and  many 
will  go  beyond  that  amount.  Let  all  be  “  as  unto  the  Lord.” 


“  That  which  he  hath  given  zvill  he  pay  him  again." 


NOTE. — One  pastor  greatly  increased  his  collection  by  writing  in 
the  above  lines  the  names  in  each  family.  The  envelope  should  be 
in  the  homes  of  the  donors  one  Sunday  in  advance,  that,  at  the  pas¬ 
tor’s  suggestion,  the  family  may  consult  concerning  their  offering. 

The  preliminary  work  being  done,  the  mere  laying  of  the 
filled-out  pledges  on  the  collection  plates  does  not  interfere  with  the 
Easter  or  other  services. 


He  which  soweth  bountifully  shall  reap  also  bountifully. 


RESULTS 


The  intent  of  the  envelope  is  to  reach  every 
family  or  self-supporting  member  of  the  Dis¬ 
trict  with  attractive  missionary  literature.  This 
is  the  more  effective  as  a  part  of  the  culmina¬ 
tion  of  the  campaign.  Also  the  aim  is  to  secure 
a  contribution  from  everyone,  not  merely  those 
present  at  the  service.  The  pledge  card  gives 
specific  directions  concerning  its  use,  and  a 
committee  may  call  for  those  cards  not  re¬ 
ported.  An  abundance  of  pledge  cards  was 
kept  in  the  seats  for  three  or  four  subsequent 
Sundays  to  remind  delinquents. 

The  pastors  order  long  in  advance  as  many 
envelopes  as  each  may  need.  These  are  sent 
filled  and  ready  for  addressing.  The  pastor  is 
urged  not  to  cheapen  and  nullify  their  effect 
by  handing  out  in  the  congregation,  but  to 
mail  with  a  one-cent  stamp.  The  ornamental 
envelope  and  its  motto  saves  it  from  the  waste¬ 
basket.  The  cost  of  the  envelope  and  postage 
is  deducted  from  the  missionary  collection  and 
seems  a  most  profitable  investment. 

This  year  about  6,700  envelopes  were  used 
on  the  District,  and  more  than  that  number 
were  ordered  from  the  printer  by  pastors  of 
other  Districts,  it  being  understood  that  no  one 
but  the  printer  selected  had  any  financial  inter¬ 
est  in  the  publication.  We  find  that  our  own 
reprint  of  the  leaflets  used  is  not  without 
advantage  in  the  matter  of  size  and  cost. 

Results. — The  amount  contributed  for  mis¬ 
sions  by  the  Buffalo  District  in  1  902,  the  year 


SOME  MISSIONARY  METHODS 


preceding  the  first  campaign,  was  $5,187,  or 
about  57  cents  per  member  and  probationer. 
In  1 903  the  amount  was  $6,966,  or  about  75 
cents  per  member  and  probationer.  The  in¬ 
crease  was  $1,779,  or  about  34  1-3  per  cent. 

No  marked  increase  was  expected  in  1  904, 
the  aim  being  to  hold  at  least  the  increase  of 
the  preceding  year  with  a  possible  addition  of 
$500.  The  increase,  however,  was  $1,235, 
making  a  total  of  $8,201,  or  about  87  cents 
per  member  and  probationer — an  advance 
over  1902  of  $3,014,  or  about  54  per 
cent,  or  30  cents  per  member  and  probationer, 
raising  the  District  as  ranked  among  Districts 
by  the  Missionary  Society  from  number  327 
to  number  65.  This  brings  us  nearer  the  good 
companionship  of  Rochester  District,  which 
properly  and  serenely  holds  her  place  at 
number  40. 

In  1 905  for  unavoidable  reasons  no  aggres¬ 
sive  campaign  was  held  outside  a  few  meet¬ 
ings,  the  pulpit  exchange,  and  the  Easter 
envelope.  The  present  indications  are,  how¬ 
ever,  that  the  offerings  may  hold  up  to  last 
year,  which,  if  true,  will  encourage  us  to 
think  that  God’s  people  when  informed  will 
respond,  and  that  the  results  of  a  campaign 
tend  to  permanence.  Our  plan  for  next  year 
may  be  a  radical  departure  from  what  we 
have  tried  before.  We  hope  to  employ  the 
Silver  Bay  idea,  with  emphasis  upon  a  metro¬ 
politan  center  as  a  basis.  We  are  persuaded 
that  a  fullness  of  time  has  come  when  the 


THE  THEORY 


young,  introduced  by  the  presiding  elder  and 
pastors  to  those  plans  for  mission  study  both 
in  the  Epworth  League  and  Sunday  school, 
will  give  a  response,  in  consecration  and  offer¬ 
ing,  far  beyond  that  of  the  adult  members  of 
the  church,  and  that  from  them,  more  than 
from  any  other  agency,  will  come  the  mightiest 
inspiration  to  their  seniors.  Tangible  proof  of 
this  was  seen  in  the  fact  that  of  the  increase  in 
the  missionary  offering  last  year  on  Buffalo 
District  that  of  the  Sunday  schools  was  a 
marked  proportionate  advance  over  the  in¬ 
crease  in  the  church.1 

We  may  notice  that  the  increase  resulting 
from  education  came  wholly  from  ordinary 
contributions;  no  single  considerable  gift  was 
noted.  The  society  heading  the  District  is  a 
downtown  church  with  almost  no  wealth  and 
a  shifting  constituency.  In  1 903  it  contrib¬ 
uted  for  missions  $600;  last  year  a  mission 
study  class  and  the  gospel  of  salvation  for  the 
whole  world  resulted,  without  pressure,  in 
freewill  offerings  of  that  people  aggregating 
$1,000. 

The  theory  of  the  missionary  campaign  as 
set  forth  above  is,  first,  that  in  missionary  en¬ 
deavor  a  District  may  be  considered  as  a  single 
pastoral  charge  on  which  there  may  be  as 


1  In  1 903  the  churches  of  the  District  increased  their  offerings  over 
1 902  by  3 1  per  cent,  and  the  Sunday  schools  by  40  per  cent.  In 
1904  the  churches  advanced  over  1903  by  1  1  per  cent,  and  the 
schools  25  per  cent.  The  whole  advance  for  the  two  years  was : 
churches,  50  per  cent ;  schools,  76  per  cent. 


SOME  MISSIONARY  METHODS 


many  assistant  pastors  as  churches.  In  the. 
work  of  missions  the  District,  and  not  the 
church,  is  the  natural  unit.  Each  church  works 
out  its  part  of  the  District  plan  emanating 
from  the  presiding  elder.  If  the  Missionary 
Society  may  be  likened  to  a  great  trunk  line, 
the  presiding  elder  is  to  furnish  terminal  facili¬ 
ties.  In  this  he  is  the  proper  leader.  His 
position  at  the  head  of  the  District  and  his 
intimate  relations  with  pastors  and  churches 
tend  to  turn  all  toward  him  as  the  one  about 
whom  the  District  will  rally.  He  is  also  recog¬ 
nized  as  the  connecting  link  between  his  Dis¬ 
trict  and  the  Missionary  Society,  he  being  in 
vital  touch  with  both.  His  leadership  does 
not  rest  upon  authority,  but  upon  a  fitness  born 
of  knowledge  of  the  situation.  In  the  dis¬ 
charge  of  his  missionary  responsibility  may  not 
the  presiding  elder  visit  the  Sunday  schools 
and  young  people’s  societies  as  regularly  as  he 
does  the  churches  of  his  District?  May  he  not 
seek  to  be  an  up-to-date  encyclopedia  of  plans 
and  missionary  methods  applicable  to  his 
several  schools  and  Leagues?  May  not  a 
District  feel  that  for  information  or  initiative 
in  the  matter  of  missions  there  is  no  need  to 
look  beyond  its  presiding  elder?  A  presiding 
elder’s  District  is  more  pliable  that  the  average 
individual  church ;  hence  the  elder  whose  plans 
are  clear-cut,  if  energetically  applied,  may 
mold  his  District  almost  at  will  into  a  compact 


THE  THEORY 


and  well-drilled  corps,  fit  to  take  its  place  in 
the  right  wing  of  God’s  line  of  battle. 

Second,  that  pastors  who  thoroughly  pre¬ 
pare  a  missionary  discourse  and  deliver  it 
several  times  get  on  fire. 

Third,  that  the  young  people  and  children 
are  the  most  valuable  human  asset  in  the 
world’s  conquest  for  righteousness. 

Fourth,  that  the  church  is  commissioned  to 
evangelize  the  world,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
promised  to  individuals  and  churches  who 
recognize  and  accept  this  commission;  hence 
a  missionary  campaign  incidentally  secures 
money  for  missions,  but  chiefly  it  constrains 
the  local  church  to  adjust  itself  to  divine  con¬ 
ditions  and  principles  vital  to  its  own  life  and 
power. 


Price,  5  cents  each 


